ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ROOT EXTRACTS OF RUMEX NERVOSUS GROWING IN YEMEN

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Biology Department, Faculty of Science., Ibb University, Yemen

2 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ibb University, Yemen.

3 Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Ibb University, Yemen.

Abstract

Roots of Rumex nervosus growing in the mountains around Ibb university, Yemen Republic, were collected in February 2008, washed under tap water, cut into small pieces and dried using hot air oven at 60oC until a constant weight was obtained. The dried plant material was then ground into a fine powder and successively extracted till exhaustion with petroleum ether 60/80°C, diethyl ether, chloroform, acetone and methanol. Extraction was carried out by cold soaking to avoid breakdown of active principles. The obtained extracts yielded gummy materials after gentle drying. Filter paper discs were impregnated with 10 mg of each of the extracts obtained and the antibacterial activity was checked by the disc-plate diffusion method. The results obtained have revealed that except for the methanol extract, all the other extracts exhibited varying antibacterial activities against the tested pathogenic bacteria. The obtained results indicate that Rumex nervosus growing in Yemen can be used in future as a source of active antimicrobial agents for industry and medicine.

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